Yankee Doodle Dandy Page #2

- Don't forget, you're on again at 4:15.

- Don't worry, I'll be back.

- These things take hours sometimes.

- My wife never held up a show in her life.

- Can I get through here?

- The Irish are up in the head of the parade.

- I'm not in the parade. I wanna get through.

- Not a chance, brother.

You don't say!

We'll get you there in a jiffy.

Here, this'll give you courage.

Charge!

Nellie.

- She all right?

- She's fine.

What is it?

Well, all signs point to its being a boy.

He just got here,

and he's sleeping already.

All babies sleep 20 hours a day.

That's why most

never amount to anything.

- What'll we call him?

- I don't know.

- What do you say?

- Seeing that he arrived on the 4th of July...

...what about George Washington Cohan?

Has a nice patriotic ring to it.

What do you think?

The George is fine, but the Washington

may be too long for a billboard.

How about a nice, short Irish name?

Dennis or Michael.

George Michael Cohan.

Yes, I like that name.

Gosh, I forgot.

Hey! It's a boy!

Oh, Jerry.

Heavenly day, Nellie,

he's crying with a brogue.

The first thing I ever had in my fist

was the American flag.

I hitched my wagon to 38 stars

and 13 stripes.

I was 6 or 7 before I realized they weren't

celebrating my birthday on the 4th of July.

Then my folks had a real break when

my little sister, Josie, made her entrance.

She grew to love show business

just as she loved everybody and everything.

We toured the kerosene circuit on a show

called Daniel Boone on the Trail.

Everybody doubled in brass.

Dad walloped the bass drum.

They teamed me with a donkey.

I was a good Democrat even in those days.

Mother and Josie threw out handbills.

Their smiles would've sold tickets

to wooden Indians.

They kept putting new stars in the flag, and

the Cohans kept rushing out to meet them.

We had jokes to match every cornfield.

We sang at every milk station.

We trouped through depression and inflation,

part of the country's growing pains.

Froze in winter, and roasted in summer.

But it was a good life.

It's a lucky family

that dances together every day.

1891 found our fortunes

flat as a pancake.

Then came jobs for the whole family

in a show called Peck's Bad Boy.

We opened in Brooklyn.

The town was known for spirited audiences

even before it had a ball team.

- Hammering on opening night!

What are you doing here?

- I'm the star of this play.

- You have the leading part, yes.

That means I'm a star...

...and there should be a star on my

dressing-room door. Law of the theater.

- Yes, Jerry, give the devil his due.

- I know, but I'm nervous.

I'll go blank.

I won't be able to remember a line.

Don't worry. If you stick,

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